Voters directly-elect one mayor and a number of councilmen per municipality. Mayors are elected by a simple majority, while councilmen seats are decided using a system of proportional representation. Mayors and councilmen are elected in separate ballots since 2004. 

According to the Constitution, mayors and councilmen have four-year mandates and may be reelected indefinitely. They are elected on the last Sunday of October. The newly elected authorities take office on December 6th of that same year.  

Censuses, which are held every ten years, are also declared holidays. There was no census holiday in 2012 as the census was carried out in the space of two months, using a different methodology. It remains to be seen if the methodology will revert in 2022 and a public holiday declared.